Unwanted Bequest
by ReganX
Summary: Lilah Morgan has it all, until an unexpected inheritance changes her life forever. Complete.
1. Chapter 1

Since my name is not Joss Whedon, I don't own 'Angel' or any of the characters associated with the show. The challenge (details below) belongs to me.

**_The Baby Boom Challenge._**

_Inspired by the movie of the same name. Lilah Morgan's life is going great until her cousin dies, leaving Lilah with an unwanted inheritance - her baby daughter. Now, Lilah must juggle her very demanding career at Wolfram and Hart with taking care of a mischievous baby._

_**Requirements.**_

_- The story should take place during Season Three or Four of 'Angel'.  
- The baby should be a girl, aged between ten and fifteen months, ie. old enough to crawl and make trouble, but small enough to have to be carried around and wear diapers.  
- Lilah must bring the baby to work, preferably to a very important meeting.  
- Lilah changes the baby's diaper - without actually knowing how.  
- Lilah does NOT abandon the baby on the doorstep to the Hyperion, or sacrifice her to the Senior Partners. She's stuck with the baby. Whether she becomes Mother of the Year, or turns the kid into a mini-her or something between the two extremes is up to you._

_**Bonus.**_

_- The baby calling Lilah 'mama' at some stage, and Lilah's reaction.  
- The baby biting Gavin.  
- Lilah hiring a nanny, preferably going through a string of them, either because she's not happy, or the baby is too much of a handful.  
- The baby winning over a powerful, important demon client by being adorable.  
- Lilah getting into a 'soccer mom' conversation with the mothers of other babies.  
  
Note: Lilah may be involved with Wesley, or another person, during the story, but she should be the baby's principal carer._

**Author's Note I: **I probably shouldn't be starting another story – I've got another four still in progress – but I couldn't resist the temptation of writing/torturing Lilah.

**Author's Note II:** This story takes place during the late third season of 'Angel', except that Sahjahn has been removed completely from the storyline.

* * *

**Chapter 1.**

Most people hate Mondays with a fiery passion.

Lilah Morgan loved them.

To her, Monday mornings meant having the advantage of two days of rest and the sharper mind that resulted from forty eight hours of downtime, at her disposal, which gave her an edge during the negotiations, at which she excelled.

Despite her lofty position as Vice President of Special Projects at Wolfram and Hart, and the huge salary and ungodly benefits package that came with the job, Lilah had no intention of settling for second best.

She already had her eye on her direct superior, Linwood Murrow's job.

She was an optimist.

Wolfram and Hart employees did not usually enjoy long life expectancies – her former boss, Holland Manners, had been _eaten _for Heaven's sake!

With any luck, Linwood would meet a similarly nasty end – preferably sooner rather than later – leaving her in possession of both his job and his office, the décor of which she had always liked.

In the meantime, she had a challenging career, a fabulous lifestyle and all the money she could want, plus conflicts with Angel, the local do-gooder, thrown in to make life interesting.

Her life was close to perfect.

Nothing could possibly go wrong.

* * *

_**Monday morning, eleven o'clock.**_

"Uh, Ms Morgan?"

Her latest assistant approached her nervously, eyeing Lilah warily, as though she feared that her employer might bite.

Honestly! You would have sworn that Lilah had had her last assistant brutally tortured and murdered for forgetting to add the milk to her coffee.

Oh wait . . .

"What?" Lilah glared at the young woman, who looked as though she would have given anything to be elsewhere, taking a perverse pleasure in her obvious fear. She gestured towards the papers on her desk. "I'm busy."

"Yes, Ms Morgan. Sorry, Ms Morgan." Her poor lackey's babbling was enough to make Lilah pity her.

Well, almost.

"What do you want?"

The young woman held out an envelope in a trembling hand. "This was delivered for you."

Lilah nodded curtly, snatching the envelope from the other woman's hand.

Her assistant stood frozen in place, not daring to move.

"Well?" Lilah raised an eyebrow. "What are you waiting for?"

"Ms Morgan?"

"Get lost."

"Yes, Ms Morgan." Grateful to escape with life and limb, her assistant, whose name she had not bothered to learn, fled.

Humming softly, Lilah slit the envelope with an ornate letter opener and withdrew the single sheet of paper.

The paper was headed with the logo of a law firm she had never heard of.

"Dear Ms Morgan . . . death of your cousin . . . deepest sympathies . . .yada, yada, yada . . ." Lilah's eyes sparkled as she came upon one of her favourite words in the English language. "Inheritance."

Monday's rocked!

* * *

_**Three and a half hours later.**_

_/Come on, come on! / _Lilah tapped her foot impatiently as she waited in the lobby of the airport, where her cousin's lawyer had arranged to meet with her to go through the necessary paperwork.

Unfortunately, the plane had been delayed by adverse weather conditions and, unless they showed up within the next couple of minutes, she was going to be late for her three o'clock with the Dhurlan demons, a very easily offended species with an insatiable craving for violence.

Lilah did not want to get on their bad side.

Her expression became thoughtful as she reflected on her late cousin, with whom she had had little to no contact over the past two decades.

Until they were about seven Lynn Morgan had been Lilah's best friend, staunchest ally and closest confidante.

Their physical similarity had been as striking as the dissimilarity in their characters.

Lynn had been cheerful, bubbly, happy-go-lucky and generous to a fault, a complete contrast to her ambitious, cynical cousin who had known, even at the tender age of seven, that if she didn't look out for her own interests, nobody else was going to.

She had never struck Lilah as being the successful type but her cousin had obviously proven her wrong.

"Ms Morgan?" A tubby, balding man approached her hesitantly.

"Yes." Lilah was so relieved that she almost smiled at him.

"You're so like your cousin." The man smiled. "I am Geoffrey Chilton. I was the executor of her estate. Now, I'll need you to sign some papers." He rummaged through his briefcase for a moment before fishing out a slim document and handing it to her, together with a fountain pen. "If you'd like some time to read . . ."

"Just give it to me." Knowing that she was already cutting it close for her meeting, Lilah took the document and signed her name with a flourish. "There."

"Thank you." Signing his own name on the 'Witness' line, Mr Chilton looked around the lobby, scanning the faces. "My partner and I were separated in the crowd. He should be around here somewh . . .Thomas!" he waved his had. "Over here."

Lilah gaped in shock and horror as the young man addressed as 'Thomas' deposited a baby in her arms, setting a bag down on the ground at her feet.

The baby took one look at her astonished face and started to cry.

"There, there, Courtney." The middle-aged lawyer smiled at the baby. "There's no need to cry. Your Auntie Lilah is going to take good care of you. Now, if you have no questions, Ms Morgan, we really must get going."

The two men left without waiting for a reply.

Too shocked to speak, Lilah stood motionless, staring at the wailing infant in her arms.

_/**Auntie** Lilah? Well, this definitely sucks! /_

TBC.

What do you think? Should I continue? Please let me know what you think and if there's anything that you'd like to see.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: **Since my name is not Joss Whedon, I don't own 'Angel' or any of the characters associated with the show. The challenge (details below) belongs to me and so does Courtney.

**_The Baby Boom Challenge._**

_Inspired by the movie of the same name. Lilah Morgan's life is going great until her cousin dies, leaving Lilah with an unwanted inheritance - her baby daughter. Now, Lilah must juggle her very demanding career at Wolfram and Hart with taking care of a mischievous baby._

_**Requirements.**_

_- The story should take place during Season Three or Four of 'Angel'.  
- The baby should be a girl, aged between ten and fifteen months, ie. old enough to crawl and make trouble, but small enough to have to be carried around and wear diapers.  
- Lilah must bring the baby to work, preferably to a very important meeting.  
- Lilah changes the baby's diaper - without actually knowing how.  
- Lilah does NOT abandon the baby on the doorstep to the Hyperion, or sacrifice her to the Senior Partners. She's stuck with the baby. Whether she becomes Mother of the Year, or turns the kid into a mini-her or something between the two extremes is up to you._

_**Bonus.**_

_- The baby calling Lilah 'mama' at some stage, and Lilah's reaction.  
- The baby biting Gavin.  
- Lilah hiring a nanny, preferably going through a string of them, either because she's not happy, or the baby is too much of a handful.  
- The baby winning over a powerful, important demon client by being adorable.  
- Lilah getting into a 'soccer mom' conversation with the mothers of other babies._

_Note: Lilah may be involved with Wesley, or another person, during the story, but she should be the baby's principal carer._

**Author's Note I: To kitty-kat12 – **Nope, no plans to send Lilah to the country to make baby food and fall in love with some hick. I think she'd have to have a lobotomy for that to happen and I don't have the heart to do that, even to Lilah.

**Author's Note II:** To lizzy, tp96 and Princess Charity – The story is set in Season Three, with Sahjahn removed from the equation, which means no Holtz and no trip to Quortoth for Connor. I don't know how I can work a Lilah/Wes pairing, since he's not going to kidnap Connor and be shunned by his friends for it. Wes will definitely meet Courtney, though.

* * *

**Chapter 2.**

When he saw Lilah marching towards him, a burbling baby in one arm, a colourful cloth bag in the other, even the normally smart-mouthed Gavin Parke was stunned into silence.

Sadly, this condition didn't last very long.

"Well," His smile brought new meaning to the word 'smarmy'. "This is unexpected. What's going on, Lilah?" His tone was mocking. "Are you trying to make up for your failure – I'm sorry, your persistent _failures _– at capturing Angel's son by offering a substitute? Because I don't think that . . ." He raised a quizzical eyebrow.

"Courtney." Lilah supplied the name through gritted teeth.

"Is going to be an acceptable substitute." Gavin finished smoothly. He bent forward so that his head was level with the baby's. "Are you?"

Courtney wrinkled her tiny nose in distaste, scowling at the Asian lawyer, clearly not one whit impressed.

"Yucky!" She announced, pointing a chubby finger at him to make sure that he knew whom she was talking about.

"At least she's a good judge of character." Lilah responded coolly, refusing to allow herself to be moved by her annoying colleague's taunts. She glanced at her watch – no easy task when both hands were full. Her meeting was due to start in two minutes. She looked over at the desk where her assistant usually sat. "Where's . . ."

Damn! What was that girl's name?

"Karen." Gavin offered. "She's in Medical. She had what you might call a 'nervous breakdown'." He informed her cheerfully. "Can't say I blame her, working with you. I was only too happy to offer her a position on my team." He added, with an innocence worthy of a choirboy.

"Great." Lilah fumed. "I've got a meeting to go to." She took a deep breath, steeling herself against the unpalatable thought of asking Gavin for a favour. "Could you . . .?"

Gavin gave her a fishlike grin. "I could. But I don't want to." Pleased with himself, he sauntered off. "Have fun!" He called over his shoulder.

_/Wonderful. / _Lilah thought sourly. _/Just wonderful. /_

She frowned at the baby in her arms. "What am I supposed to do with you now?"

* * *

_**Half an hour later.**_

" . . . And so, under the terms of this agreement, the Dhurlan will enjoy hunting privileges on the west side on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays, while the Har'Kreea will be in control on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. On Sundays, it's a free for all, except on the third Sunday of the month, when the Dhurlan have their ritual hunt." Lilah paused, shifting Courtney to a more comfortable position while she handed out copies of the contract for signature. "Any questions?"

A dozen scaly hands shot up.

Lilah rolled her eyes. "About something other than the baby?"

The demons lowered their hands.

* * *

_**An hour later.**_

"Let me get this straight," Linwood stared at Lilah as though he had never seen her before. "You signed something without reading it?"

She nodded sheepishly.

"But you work at Wolfram and Hart."

"I know that!" Lilah exclaimed, irritated. "I was in a hurry to get back here."

You'd think that after negotiating a truce with two warring demon tribes, a girl could get a little respect.

"Is there any way I can get out of this? Any loopholes? An 'i' they forgot to dot?" Her voice was hopeful, pleading.

Linwood shook his head. "It's airtight." He told her, his tone one of grudging admiration. "I couldn't have prepared it better myself. By signing, you agreed, and I quote, 'to undertake to act as guardian to the said Courtney Elizabeth Morgan until she reaches the age of eighteen.' It's pretty straight-forward."

"Eighteen?" Lilah's voice was hoarse. "How old is she now?"

Linwood glanced down at the paper. "Exactly eleven months come Friday."

You didn't get to be a lawyer without having something resembling intelligence.

Lilah was fully capable of subtracting eleven months from eighteen years.

She didn't like the result one bit.

It was going to be more than seventeen years before she could call her life her own again.

A strong, highly unpleasant odour jolted her back to awareness.

"What the hell is that?" She blurted before she could stop herself.

Linwood smiled knowingly. "That, my dear Lilah, is the one thing I did not miss about my kids."

* * *

"Goddammit!" Lilah swore as she added yet another mangled diaper to the pile in her trashcan.

As an only child, she had never had to change a diaper in her life and had never felt that she was missing out. Now, no matter how hard she tried, her fingers turned to thumbs as she tried to fasten the diaper and she always ended up getting the tabs stuck together.

"You know," She glared down at the squirming infant lying on the floor in front of her. "This would be a lot easier if you would just hold still."

Courtney just chuckled, kicking her chubby legs happily.

After nearly thirty minutes of effort and sheer determination, she managed to get the diaper on the child, although the fastenings were precariously loose.

Holding Courtney firmly with one hand, Lilah reached for the Sellotape dispenser on her desk and, moving as quickly as she could, she secured the diaper with about a mile of the sticky tape.

"There." Lilah brushed a lock of her hair out of her head. "I did it." She felt absurdly proud of herself. "And you were no help whatsoever." She told her tiny ward acidly.

She bent forward and picked the baby up, her eyes widening in horror as the diaper slipped off, much to the delight of a chortling Courtney.

For the first time since she was a small child, Lilah Morgan felt like crying.

TBC.

_Author's Note: I've been a real slowpoke about updating lately, so hopefully I'll be able to do better. I'm toying with the idea of writing a chapter from Courtney's point of view. Would any of you be interested in reading it?_


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: **Since my name is not Joss Whedon, I don't own 'Angel' or any of the characters associated with the show. The challenge (details below) belongs to me and so does Courtney.****

**_The Baby Boom Challenge._**

_Inspired by the movie of the same name. Lilah Morgan's life is going great until her cousin dies, leaving Lilah with an unwanted inheritance - her baby daughter. Now, Lilah must juggle her very demanding career at Wolfram and Hart with taking care of a mischievous baby._

_**Requirements.**_

_- The story should take place during Season Three or Four of 'Angel'.  
- The baby should be a girl, aged between ten and fifteen months, ie. old enough to crawl and make trouble, but small enough to have to be carried around and wear diapers.  
- Lilah must bring the baby to work, preferably to a very important meeting.  
- Lilah changes the baby's diaper - without actually knowing how.  
- Lilah does NOT abandon the baby on the doorstep to the Hyperion, or sacrifice her to the Senior Partners. She's stuck with the baby. Whether she becomes Mother of the Year, or turns the kid into a mini-her or something between the two extremes is up to you._

_**Bonus.**_

_- The baby calling Lilah 'mama' at some stage, and Lilah's reaction.  
- The baby biting Gavin.  
- Lilah hiring a nanny, preferably going through a string of them, either because she's not happy, or the baby is too much of a handful.  
- The baby winning over a powerful, important demon client by being adorable.  
- Lilah getting into a 'soccer mom' conversation with the mothers of other babies._

_Note: Lilah may be involved with Wesley, or another person, during the story, but she should be the baby's principal carer._

**Author's Note I:** To kitty-kat12 – I remember that episode. Lilah was telling Lindsey about a colleague who had offered her firstborn to an unspecified entity before the Wolfram and Hart review. She said "My mother was right, I should have had children." No siblings were mentioned.

**Author's Note II:** To Imzadi – Lindsey was still a good guy in Season Three, right? I wonder what happened between Seasons Two and Five to change him so much. I don't remember him being as bitter and ruthless in the earlier seasons. And, in answer to your question, Lynn Morgan wasn't married. I wanted Lilah and Courtney to have the same last name.

**Author's Note III:** To Darklight – Don't worry, I have no intention whatsoever of sending Courtney or Connor off to Quortoth or any other hell dimension at any stage in this story. I'm still angry with the show's writers for aging Connor. Baby Connor was so cute, but teenage Connor was a brat.

* * *

**Chapter 3.**

_**Three days later.**_

Sleeping was a thing of the past.

Since the arrival of her cousin's infant daughter, Lilah had spent her nights walking the floors with Courtney, who seemed to have inherited her new guardian's obstinacy and stubbornly refused to be pacified by Lilah's alternating coaxing, bribes and threats.

The eleven month old's wails were almost loud enough to shatter glass and even Lilah was starting to worry whether or not there was something seriously wrong with the child.

She mightn't have been Mother of the Year material, but that didn't mean that she was made entirely out of stone. She didn't want to leave a baby in unnecessary pain.

Besides, if the little brat didn't stop screaming, she was never going to get a decent night's sleep.

* * *

_**Ten o'clock the next morning, hospital.**_

Even over the phone, Lilah had practically been able to hear Linwood's jaw drop when she told him that she was taking a half day's personal leave.

During her time at Wolfram and Hart, Lilah had never missed a day of work and, unless she had been on her deathbed, she never would have done so.

Unfortunately, the paediatrician at the nearest hospital worked during the day.

The waiting room was one of the noisiest places she had ever been in.

At least half a dozen parents, mostly mothers, sat on the ugly grey couches, cooing to their shrieking infants, while a cluster of toddlers congregated around the toy table were arguing at the top of their lungs over who had first choice of the small collection of blocks and puzzles.

Lilah couldn't help but be grateful that her own small charge, who sat in her lap, chewing on a book, was relatively well-behaved.

She sighed impatiently, glancing at her watch yet again. She had been waiting a full half hour to see the doctor, who didn't seem to respect the fact that, as Vice-President of Special Projects, she was entitled to preferential treatment.

"Well," A dry voice spoke from the doorway. "Will wonders never cease?"

"Okay," A second speaker said in amused tones. "Now I've seen everything."

She wanted to sink into the cushions of the overstuffed couches when she saw them.

Angel, together with his associate, Wesley Wyndham-Pryce, who carried a chubby-cheeked little boy she assumed was the so-called 'Miracle Baby' whose arrival was causing so many headaches at Wolfram and Hart.

"Lilah," Wesley's greeting was cold. "I never would have pictured you as the maternal type."

"It's not my baby!" Lilah protested immediately.

"Mama." Courtney chirruped, as if on cue. Lilah's face instantly turned a bright shade of scarlet. Untroubled by her guardian's reaction, the baby girl pointed a short, slightly fat finger at the sleeping Connor. "Baba." She announced. "Yucky baba."

"Hey." Angel exclaimed indignantly. "That's my son she's talking about."

"Angel, remember whose child she is." Wesley spoke in a low voice. "Are you really surprised."

"I am not her mother." Lilah wasn't going to let even these two clowns labour under the delusion that she was anybody's mother.

Physically, Courtney was very like her, with soft chestnut curls and deep brown eyes, and Angel and Wesley were not the first to mistake them for mother and daughter, something that irritated her to no end.

"No Mama." Courtney's tiny lower lip trembled. "Mama go bye-bye." Tears started to roll down her plump cheeks and she drew breath before commencing a wailing lament.

Lilah turned to the vampire and the former Watcher with a look of indescribable fury.

"Now look what you did." She snarled.

"Courtney Morgan?"

Although they would never have admitted it, both Angel and Wesley were slightly relieved when the nurse called Courtney's name and Lilah stalked off in the direction of the doctor's office.

Although the lawyer was no match for them physically, the intensity of her expression had unnerved them more than a little.

"Wow," Angel commented. "Hard to think of Lilah taking care of a baby. Poor baby."

Wesley raised an eyebrow. "Poor baby? If it was anyone but Lilah, I'd feel sorry for _her_."

* * *

"So what's wrong with her?" Lilah demanded impatiently, fixing the paediatrician with a steely glare. "She never goes to sleep when I tell her to, she cries all night. I want to know why."

The doctor, armed with years of experience in dealing with anxious parents, gave her a reassuring smile. "I wouldn't worry too much, Ms Morgan. Courtney has recently experienced a great loss, in addition to being uprooted from her home and being placed with a new guardian. It is natural that she would need some time to adjust. In a couple of weeks, she should settle down."

"Weeks?" Lilah was horrified. "What am I supposed to do until then?"

"Be patient." The doctor smiled. "Children are resilient, Ms Morgan. I have no doubt that Courtney will soon become comfortable with you."

"That's great." Lilah gave him her best fake smile. "But what am I supposed to do until then? Can you prescribe some sleeping tablets or something."

"I'm the wrong person to prescribe medication for you." The doctor gave her a wide smile. "You are a little older than my patients usually are."

"Not for me, you idiot." Lilah snapped, losing patience. "For her." She nodded in Courtney's direction.

"You can't sedate a baby!" The poor doctor was horrified.

"What can you recommend then?" She demanded.

"Patience." The paediatrician told her soberly. "Patience and understanding."

"Marvellous." Lilah muttered sourly, picking Courtney up and turning to leave the office.

Patience and understanding were not things that she had in great supply.

* * *

_**Three hours later, Wolfram and Hart.**_

"Can you believe this?" Lilah fumed. "The company daycare centre won't enrol you because they're full. They wouldn't even throw out some underling's brat to make a space. Since when do they care whether or not their child-staff ratio is too high, or whether they're breaking fire safety regulations? Since that slimy bastard Gavin showed up waving his red tape at them, that's when." She answered her own question.

"Yucky Gab'n." Courtney interjected sagely.

Lilah gave the baby an amused half smile. " 'Yucky Gavin'? Could be a nickname. For two pins, I'd have his heart ripped out and force fed to him before he dies."

Accustomed by now to her 'Auntie' Lilah's tirades, Courtney just smiled and continued to chew on a very important contract mistakenly delivered to Lilah's office instead of that of the hated Gavin, which had 'accidentally' made it's way into her hands.

'Auntie' Lilah was a bit weird, but she could be very funny sometimes.

TBC.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: **Since my name is not Joss Whedon, I don't own 'Angel' or any of the characters associated with the show. The challenge (details below) belongs to me and so does Courtney.

**_The Baby Boom Challenge._**

_Inspired by the movie of the same name. Lilah Morgan's life is going great until her cousin dies, leaving Lilah with an unwanted inheritance - her baby daughter. Now, Lilah must juggle her very demanding career at Wolfram and Hart with taking care of a mischievous baby._

_**Requirements.**  
- The story should take place during Season Three or Four of 'Angel'.  
- The baby should be a girl, aged between ten and fifteen months, ie. old enough to crawl and make trouble, but small enough to have to be carried around and wear diapers.  
- Lilah must bring the baby to work, preferably to a very important meeting.  
- Lilah changes the baby's diaper - without actually knowing how.  
- Lilah does NOT abandon the baby on the doorstep to the Hyperion, or sacrifice her to the Senior Partners. She's stuck with the baby. Whether she becomes Mother of the Year, or turns the kid into a mini-her or something between the two extremes is up to you._

_**Bonus.**_

_- The baby calling Lilah 'mama' at some stage, and Lilah's reaction.  
- The baby biting Gavin.  
- Lilah hiring a nanny, preferably going through a string of them, either because she's not happy, or the baby is too much of a handful.  
- The baby winning over a powerful, important demon client by being adorable.  
- Lilah getting into a 'soccer mom' conversation with the mothers of other babies._

_Note: Lilah may be involved with Wesley, or another person, during the story, but she should be the baby's principal carer._

**Author's Note I:** Sorry about the update delay. Next chapter will probably be from Courtney's point of view.

**Author's Note II:** To MysticWolf1 – I'm from Ireland. It's paediatrician over here. I keep forgetting to adjust the spelling for US readers.

**Author's Note III: To Darklight –** Thanks for your suggestion. I'll definitely be using it. Harmony's so fun to write, especially with small children.

* * *

**Chapter 4.**

_**The next morning.**_

"Is this it?"

The first, last and only applicant for the newly vacated position of her assistant nodded happily.

"Uh-huh."

Lilah exhaled in frustration. "I would have thought that you people would be eager to get out of the steno pool."

"Oh they are." Her would-be assistant assured her. "Who would want to stay in that hellhole? But when they heard who wanted an assistant . . ." She trailed off, realising what she had just said. "Sorry." She apologised sheepishly.

"And you weren't scared off?"

The young woman was either too brave or too dense to be intimidated by Lilah's iciest, most threatening tones.

"Marvellous." Lilah scowled. "I guess this means that you're hired. _/At least, / _She amended silently. _/Until I can find someone half way decent to replace you. /_

"Great!" The blonde woman beamed. "You won't regret this."

"I already do." Lilah managed to say between gritted teeth. "You start immediately."

"Fab." Harmony grinned happily. "This is going to be a blast."

* * *

"But it's only for one afternoon!"

Mrs Ethel Murray, Head of the Wolfram and Hart Daycare Centre, shook her head firmly, not moved in the least by Lilah's alternate threats and entreaties.

"I'm sorry, Ms Morgan." Her voice held a note of patience born of more than two decades worth of experience in dealing with toddler's tantrum's and childish squabbles. "But as I . . . Delia!" She frowned at a tiny, dark haired girl, no more than two years old, who was orbiting around the furniture and the other children, spinning in circles and singing to herself. "If you keep that up, you're going to fall and hurt yourself."

"Fall, fall, fall." Delia chanted in a sing-song voice, spinning faster and faster and, by some miracle, keeping her balance. "Always falling."

Mrs Murray shook her head in resignation. "As I was saying Ms Morgan, we have our hands full here. I'm afraid that I simply cannot enrol Courtney in the daycare centre for any length of time. All of our places have been filled. On a first come, first served basis." She added, cutting off Lilah's argument before she could give it voice. "Therefore, I simply cannot . . ."

"If you watch her during this meeting, I will give you a thousand dollars." Lilah blurted.

Mrs Murray's eye's gleamed. "Done."

* * *

_**Half an hour later.**_

Lilah had learned to respect her former colleague, Lindsey McDonald, on an all new level.

It wasn't until one found oneself without the use of one's hand – such as when the aforementioned hand was holding a baby – that one really realised what one was missing.

During the days that had followed Lindsey's amputation, Lilah had taken a malicious pleasure in her colleague/rival's struggles as he grew accustomed to his prosthetic hand, enjoying his fumbling attempts at organising such simple things as files and contracts one handed.

While she hadn't lost a hand, she had gained an even bigger problem than Lindsey had ever had to deal with and, unlike him, her woes could not be rectified with a simple trip to a witch doctor and an evil hand transplant.

There were times that Lilah doubted little Courtney's parentage.

Surely someone as sweet and boringly good as Lynn Morgan could never have produced such a little bundle of pure evil.

"Alright," Linwood Murrow's calm, slightly smarmy voice cut across her musing. "Has everybody got their copy of the contract?"

Delighting in the use of both hands, Lilah liberated her copy from her briefcase.

"Mr Parke?" Linwood fixed Gavin, whose contract was looking more than a little the worse for wear, with a steely gaze. "What has happened to your copy?"

Throwing a poisonous glare in Lilah's direction, Gavin fumbled for a reply. "It was, uh, eaten, sir."

"By your dog?" Linwood gave the younger man a look of disgust.

Lilah was hard pressed to suppress the smirk she felt tugging at the corners of her lips.

Evil or not, the kid had her uses.

* * *

_**Two hours later.**_

"Who's a cute little baby? Who's the most adorable baby in the whole world? You are. Yes you are."

Courtney chuckled obligingly, reaching for this new stranger's light hair.

"What's going on here?" Lilah took a double take, staring at her new assistant with the something vaguely resembling respect. "You _like _babies?"

"Uh huh." Harmony beamed. "I used to babysit for my little cousins all the time. I love kids. I could just eat them up. I won't though." She added hastily. "The daycare centre dropped her back about an hour ago. Said she doesn't play well with others."

"Hammy." Courtney graciously allowed the vampire to pick her up. "No yucky Hammy."

"See?" Despite the fact that the baby had given her a name more suited to a piglet than a would be fierce vampire, Harmony beamed with pride. "She likes me."

"So much for her having good taste." Lilah muttered under her breath. She plastered her most 'sincere' smile on her face. "Since you two are getting on so well, maybe you'd like to watch her while I catch up on some paper work."

"Sure thing, bossy." With Courtney cradled in her arms, Harmony held up the baby's pudgy hand to make her wave goodbye. "Say bye bye to Auntie Lilah."

Lilah could scarcely believe what she was hearing.

_/First 'Auntie Lilah', now 'bossy? / _She thought incredulously. _/What did I do to deserve this? /_

* * *

_**Three and a half hours later.**_

"Burning the midnight oil?"

Lilah and Courtney looked up in unison, glaring at the unwelcome stranger.

Harmony had departed for home more than an hour ago and Lilah was once again attempting to concentrate on paperwork with a wriggling infant in her lap.

"Linwood wants the revised forms now." Gavin announced, still sore from his supervisor's sarcastic comments about his organisational skills, or lack thereof.

Although the man probably knew exactly what fate had befallen the contract, he had enjoyed telling the other man off, knowing how humiliating it was for a man with Gavin's pride.

"Here." Lilah passed Courtney into his arms. "Make yourself useful. I'll be done in a minute."

Holding the child awkwardly, Gavin started to pace up and down, giving the child a fake smile every now and again.

Courtney glared up at the Asian lawyer, a scowl on her pretty face.

Her Auntie Lilah didn't like this man, so she wasn't going to like him either.

"OWWW! Motherf . . ." Gavin scowled at his colleague. "She bit me!"

"Courtney!" Lilah's face was the picture of outrage as she took the baby girl back to her desk. "Bad baby. Very bad baby." She smiled sweetly at Gavin. "Sorry about that." She handed him the form she had amended and watched him stalk out of the room before giving Courtney one of her rare genuine smiles. "Good baby. Good baby. Very _very_ good baby."

Courtney chortled happily.

She always aimed to please and, if it involved biting someone, so much the better.

TBC.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer:**Since my name is not Joss Whedon, I don't own 'Angel' or any of the characters associated with the show. The challenge (details below) belongs to me and so does Courtney.

**_The Baby Boom Challenge._**

_Inspired by the movie of the same name. Lilah Morgan's life is going great until her cousin dies, leaving Lilah with an unwanted inheritance - her baby daughter. Now, Lilah must juggle her very demanding career at Wolfram and Hart with taking care of a mischievous baby._

_**Requirements.**_

_- The story should take place during Season Three or Four of 'Angel'.  
- The baby should be a girl, aged between ten and fifteen months, ie. old enough to crawl and make trouble, but small enough to have to be carried around and wear diapers.  
- Lilah must bring the baby to work, preferably to a very important meeting.  
- Lilah changes the baby's diaper - without actually knowing how.  
- Lilah does NOT abandon the baby on the doorstep to the Hyperion, or sacrifice her to the Senior Partners. She's stuck with the baby. Whether she becomes Mother of the Year, or turns the kid into a mini-her or something between the two extremes is up to you._

**_Bonus._**

_- The baby calling Lilah 'mama' at some stage, and Lilah's reaction.  
- The baby biting Gavin.  
- Lilah hiring a nanny, preferably going through a string of them, either because she's not happy, or the baby is too much of a handful.  
- The baby winning over a powerful, important demon client by being adorable.  
- Lilah getting into a 'soccer mom' conversation with the mothers of other babies._

_Note: Lilah may be involved with Wesley, or another person, during the story, but she should be the baby's principal carer._

**Author's Note:**I've never written a baby's thoughts before. This is just Courtney's point of view during a typical day in her new life. She's been with Lilah about a week at this point. 'Mr Maroo' is how she thinks of Linwood Murrow.

* * *

**Chapter 5.**

_COURTNEY'S POV._

I don't know why big people don't like going to work.

Auntie Lilah's always cranky in the mornings before we go into the big funny shaped house where her office is.

Maybe she's cranky 'cause she never takes her nap.

I like 'work'.

Auntie Lilah's office is really big and there's lots of cool things to play with and chairs and shelves to climb on.

Sometimes I play with Auntie Lilah's friend. Her name is Harmony but whenever I try to say it, it never sounds right.

Harmony's hair is very long and it's yellow like my teddy. It's fun to pull, 'cept Harmony makes a funny squeaky noise whenever I do.

My mama's hair wasn't yellow. It was like the soil in the garden, or maybe a bit like chocolate.

Soil tastes weird. Not like chocolate.

My mama's not here now.

We were in the car going vroom-vroom and I fell asleep. When I woke up, Mama had gone bye-bye.

That's why I live with my Auntie Lilah. She's funny. She looks like Mama but she doesn't snuggle like her.

I miss my mama.

I'm crying so Harmony picks me up and cuddles me. She tries to sing but she's not very good at it. She asks me what's wrong, if she can do anything to help.

I want to say to bring my mama back but the words won't come out the way I want them to sound.

Harmony tickles my tummy and talks in a silly voice. She makes funny faces.

Auntie Lilah comes out of her office 'cause she wants to know why she can't get some quiet so she can work.

Auntie Lilah doesn't like to make funny faces.

There's only one thing I can do to get her to make a face.

"Mama."

This time her whole face turns red and she runs back into her office.

Harmony smiles and makes me her bestest face. Her face goes all bumpy and her teeth get extra long.

I don't have many teeth yet, but they're very sharp. They made Yucky Gavin scream.

Auntie Lilah always says that I'm 'evil in a little package'. I can't tell whether she's kidding or not.

I'm not sure what 'evil' means but people say that Auntie Lilah is evil so it must mean something nice.

Harmony lets me play with her make up.

She pretends that she doesn't want me to touch it, but why else would she leave it on her desk where I can reach it if I stretch really hard?

I like Harmony's lipstick. It tastes like strawberries.

Mr Maroo smiles at me before he goes into Auntie Lilah's office. I like Mr Maroo. He's nice. He gives me a lollipop. It's green. It gets stuck in Harmony's hair.

So he gives me another one.

Lollipops make me want to play extra hard and run around but I can't 'cause I can't walk yet. They taste way better than baby food. I spit that yucky stuff up but Auntie Lilah and Harmony can't take a hint.

When I'm big, I'll only eat lollipops . . .and maybe paper.

Me and Harmony play while Auntie Lilah and Mr Maroo have a meeting, whatever that is.

The meeting takes ages and Auntie Lilah is all tired and cranky when they're finished and she comes to pick me up.

I think it's because she doesn't eat enough lollipops.

"Bye-bye, munchkin."

I wonder why Harmony can't remember my name. She calls me lots of different things.

I like it when I'm with Auntie Lilah. She looks like my mama so I can make believe that I'm still with her.

It's not the same though.

Aunite Lilah says that she has to get a nanny 'cause she can't keep briniging me into work.

I don't know why not.

I like it here.

When I'm big, I'm going to be a lawyer, just like Auntie Lilah.

TBC


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: **Since my name is not Joss Whedon, I don't own 'Angel' or any of the characters associated with the show. The challenge (details below) belongs to me and so does Courtney.

_**The Baby Boom Challenge.**  
_

_Inspired by the movie of the same name. Lilah Morgan's life is going great until her cousin dies, leaving Lilah with an unwanted inheritance - her baby daughter. Now, Lilah must juggle her very demanding career at Wolfram and Hart with taking care of a mischievous baby.  
_

_**Requirements.**  
_

_- The story should take place during Season Three or Four of 'Angel'.  
- The baby should be a girl, aged between ten and fifteen months, ie. old enough to crawl and make trouble, but small enough to have to be carried around and wear diapers.  
- Lilah must bring the baby to work, preferably to a very important meeting.  
- Lilah changes the baby's diaper - without actually knowing how.  
- Lilah does NOT abandon the baby on the doorstep to the Hyperion, or sacrifice her to the Senior Partners. She's stuck with the baby. Whether she becomes Mother of the Year, or turns the kid into a mini-her or something between the two extremes is up to you.  
_

_**Bonus.**_

_- The baby calling Lilah 'mama' at some stage, and Lilah's reaction.  
- The baby biting Gavin.  
- Lilah hiring a nanny, preferably going through a string of them, either because she's not happy, or the baby is too much of a handful.  
- The baby winning over a powerful, important demon client by being adorable.  
- Lilah getting into a 'soccer mom' conversation with the mothers of other babies.  
  
Note: Lilah may be involved with Wesley, or another person, during the story, but she should be the baby's principal carer._

**Author's Note I: **To Darklight – Yes, Lilah already got Courtney clothes and stuff, as well as what she brought with her, but the idea of a baby in a pink business suit is so darling and has given me an idea I want to use in a future chapter. Thanks. And yes, Lilah knows that Harmony is a vampire.

**Author's Note II: **To Gigi13 – Yes, that's Delia from 'The Happiest Place On Earth' and the late Mrs Murray, about a year and a half before that story takes place.

* * *

**Chapter 6.**

_**Saturday morning.**_

The park seemed to have been adopted as Courtney's new favourite place.

Hoping to tire out the eleven month old, Lilah had brought her to the baby and toddler play area in the park opposite her apartment and left her in the sandpit, armed with a red plastic bucket and spade, to wreak what havoc she would.

Approximately three seconds after Lilah had sat her down in the sandpit, Courtney was very messy and very happy.

Lilah breathed a sigh of relief and settled back on one of the picnic benches provided to read through her depositions while her tiny ward scooped the sand into a pile.

"Oh, my!"

Lilah glared up at the thirty-something suburban mom, whose exclamation had broken her concentration. "Is something wrong?"

"Is that your baby?" The woman held her own baby protectively close.

"Is she always so destructive?" Another woman asked delicately, cradling her child in her lap.

Lilah glanced down at Courtney, who was cheerfully battering her sand mound with her spade, chortling in delight.

"You should really be concerned about these violent tendencies." The first mother recommended in an affected tone. "Who knows what will become of her if she carries on like this." She hugged her own child tightly, kissing the top of his head. "My little Mark is such a gentle child. He doesn't have an aggressive bone in his body."

Lilah snorted in derision. "Your little Mark looks stoned." She retorted bluntly. Although she cursed little Courtney frequently, she was not about to let anyone else bad mouth a relative of hers. "Besides," She smiled sweetly, emulating their sugary tones. "Modern psychologists agree that children who are aggressive as infants tend to be more successful in business and relationships."

Both women's eyes widened in astonishment and Lilah knew that they had fallen for her bluff and that their unfortunate offspring would be signed up for kickboxing classes as soon as they could toddle a step.

She felt a certain amount of satisfaction as the two women sped away to the other side of the playground, their infants in tow.

"Well this is something I never thought that I'd see." A dry, familiar voice commented behind her.

Lilah whirled around, a thin smirk on her face. "Lindsey." Her greeting was cool. "Since when do you have a death wish? You know as well as I do what happens to anyone who walks out on the firm."

"Evil hand, remember?" Lindsey waved at her. "Besides, I've got protection. Don't bother to tell them you've seen me, they won't be able to trace me. I've learned a few tricks since we last met."

"Impressive." Lilah conceded grudgingly. "What are you doing here?"

"Same as you." Without waiting for an invitation, Lindsey flopped down on the bench next to her. "Enjoying a beautiful sunny day."

Courtney beamed up at the stranger, displaying her incomplete collection of teeth. "Hi-hi."

"Hello." Lindsey's expression softened as he looked down at the baby. He looked up at Lilah. "Don't remember you having one of these. Looks just like you."

"It's not my baby!" Lilah protested, unable to help herself.

"I should hope not." Lindsey teased. "If only for her sake. The last thing the world needs is another you. I don't think it could survive a second time."

Tiring of her sand activities, Courtney crawled over to Lilah, still dragging the spade behind her, and held up her arms to be lifted.

Moving as if on autopilot, Lilah scooped the child into her lap.

"What's your name, sweetheart?" Lindsey tickled the baby under the chin. "And what did you do to end up with this lady?"

"Her name is Courtney." Lilah's voice was chilly. "And, not that it's any of your business, but she's my cousin's child."

"And _you're _babysitting?" Lindsey raised a sceptical eyebrow.

"On a permanent basis." Lilah muttered gruffly.

"Oh," Linsdey gave Courtney, who was chewing on the handle of her spade, a sympathetic smile. "I see."

"You don't happen to want a kid do you?" Lilah asked, only half joking, a trace of hope in her voice. "I remember you have a soft spot for them."

"Sorry." Lindsey allowed Courtney to take his hand – the not evil one – in her chubby one to examine it. "I've got some business, then it's back on the run."

"No rest for the wicked." Lilah quipped.

"You must be exhausted." Lindsey countered smoothly.

Lilah grinned wryly. "At least you can hold your own." She commented.

"Is my replacement not challenging your rapier wit?" Lindsey assumed a pathetic facial expression. "You poor thing."

Courtney, tiring of Lindsey's hand, squinted up at his face. "Who he?" She demanded of Lilah.

"This is Lindsey." Lilah gave her former co-vice president a malicious smile. "_Yucky _Lindsey."

The word 'yucky' coming from Lilah's lips was enough to make Lindsey laugh out loud.

Courtney studied the new arrival solemnly for a few minutes before making her verdict.

"No." Her voice was surprisingly resolute. "No yucky." She wriggled out of Lilah's lap to plant a wet kiss on Lindsey's cheek. "No yucky." She reiterated yet again, settling in his lap.

Lilah scowled at her. "Traitor."

Lindsey grinned. "The little lady has spoken." He passed Courtney over to her guardian. "And, much as I hate to chat and run, I really have some business I have to attend to."

Courtney whimpered a little as the former lawyer left.

Lilah looked down at the infant with a stern expression. "Whatever you do when you're older," She told her firmly. "Do not fall in love with a man like that. They're nothing but trouble."

Courtney nodded solemnly, as if she understood every word.

_/Look at me. / _Lilah thought, both amused and a little disgusted with herself. _/I'm talking to a baby. What's happening to me? /_

TBC.


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: **Since my name is not Joss Whedon, I don't own 'Angel' or any of the characters associated with the show. The challenge (details below) belongs to me and so does Courtney.

_**The Baby Boom Challenge.**_

_Inspired by the movie of the same name. Lilah Morgan's life is going great until her cousin dies, leaving Lilah with an unwanted inheritance - her baby daughter. Now, Lilah must juggle her very demanding career at Wolfram and Hart with taking care of a mischievous baby._

_**Requirements.**_

_- The story should take place during Season Three or Four of 'Angel'.  
- The baby should be a girl, aged between ten and fifteen months, ie. old enough to crawl and make trouble, but small enough to have to be carried around and wear diapers.  
- Lilah must bring the baby to work, preferably to a very important meeting.  
- Lilah changes the baby's diaper - without actually knowing how.  
- Lilah does NOT abandon the baby on the doorstep to the Hyperion, or sacrifice her to the Senior Partners. She's stuck with the baby. Whether she becomes Mother of the Year, or turns the kid into a mini-her or something between the two extremes is up to you._

_**Bonus.**_

_- The baby calling Lilah 'mama' at some stage, and Lilah's reaction.  
- The baby biting Gavin.  
- Lilah hiring a nanny, preferably going through a string of them, either because she's not happy, or the baby is too much of a handful.  
- The baby winning over a powerful, important demon client by being adorable.  
- Lilah getting into a 'soccer mom' conversation with the mothers of other babies._

**Author's Note I: **To Darklight – 'Unwanted Bequest' and 'The Happiest Place On Earth' should be read as completely separate stories. Think of them as alternate universes. And I have no plans to leave poor little Courtney alone in the world.

**Author's Note II: **To Charmed-angel4 – I'm going to be mean and not answer that question.

**Author's Note III: **To gidgetgirl – Connor and Courtney are less than a year old. I don't think I'm ready to plan them as a future couple just yet.

**Author's Note IV: **This chapter may not make much sense, but I can promise that I do know where I'm going with this.

* * *

**Chapter 7.**

_**Monday morning, nine o'clock.**_

"Isn't this just the cutest thing you ever saw?" Harmony gushed, holding out the little outfit she had bought.

"It's pink." Lilah made it sound like some kind of disease.

"It's a suit." Harmony beamed. "I figured if the munchkin was going to be hanging around the office, she might as well look the part. And pink's definitely her colour." She smiled at Courtney. "You like it, don't you, sweetie?"

Lilah glared at the baby in her arms. "If you say yes, I'm putting you up for adoption."

* * *

Although Lilah sometimes – oh, who was she kidding, _always _– found her assistant to be a source of irritation, she had to admit that she was glad of the free babysitting service the blonde vampire provided her with.

Gavin Parke had 'thoughtfully' offered to handle some of her clients while she had to take care of Courtney, and he was taking full advantage of her temporary setback to firmly entrench himself with some of the firm's most important clients.

She had decided that morning that, come hell or high water, she wasn't going to let him replace her at her meeting with Lord Scheltar, leader of the powerful Mah'tet family of demons.

With hindsight, she realized that she ought to have been suspicious when Gavin never even made an effort to take her client off her hands.

"How many times must you be told that my people only drink from goblets crafted from gold that has been forged in the fires of a volcano?" Lord Scheltar demanded, flinging the offending cup at the unfortunate tea lady's head. "Can you humans not follow the simplest of instructions?"

Lilah gritted her teeth, doing her best to remain calm and collected, despite the insults that were being screamed at her.

Somehow, she got the impression that her superiors would be less than pleased if she were to throttle so important a client.

* * *

"This little piggy went to market, this little piggy stayed at home, this little piggy had roast beef and this little piggy . . .Uh-oh." Horrorstruck, Harmony released Courtney's bare foot.

Courtney, covered in the blackcurrant juice from her bottle, whose lid she had managed to remove, gurgled up at her.

"Oh no." Harmony wiped at the baby's dress with a paper napkin, but the juice had already soaked through. "Your Auntie Lilah's going to kill me." She fished around in Courtney's baby bag for a fresh dress, but came up empty handed. Her eyes fell on the little pink suit she had bought and she smiled. "I guess every cloud has a silver lining."

* * *

_**Twenty minutes later.**_

"I am terribly sorry for the inconvenience, Your Lordship." Linwood groveled for all he was worth, struggling to hide his irritation at the argumentative client. "Had we known that you found ball point pens offensive, I assure you that we would not have allowed one to come into your august presence."

Mollified somewhat by Linwood's assurances, Lord Scheltar just harrumphed, waving an imperious hand to signal that Lilah could continue.

"Should your clan choose to do business with us, I am certain that you will find us to be helpful, accommodating, and above all, professional."

"Bossy?" A distressed Harmony burst into the room, bearing a howling Courtney. "I'm sorry, I can't get her to stop crying. I think she wants you."

Courtney held out her pudgy arms and Lilah, after a moment's hesitation, lifted her up, uncomfortably conscious of Linwood's glares.

Entranced by Lord Scheltar's lilac visage, the baby stopped crying and stared at him.

"A baby." The demon lord smiled for the first time since the meeting had begun. "I like babies."

"Of course." Linwood inclined his head. "And I'm sure we can arrange something. Lilah, how much do you want for the baby?"

Lord Scheltar chuckled, shaking his head before Lilah could answer. "I don't eat babies anymore, bad for my cholesterol levels. I do find them amusing, however. May I?"

Lilah gratefully handed Courtney over.

"Hello, little one." The demon bounced Courtney on his knee, regarding her with the benign smile of a doting grandfather as she tugged at his long white beard. He glared up at Linwood and Lilah. "I want her to be my lawyer from now on."

"Excuse me?" Lilah stared at him, wondering if he was completely insane.

"But she's a baby." Linwood objected. Lord Scheltar scowled at him. "But if you want her as your lawyer, she's your lawyer." He backpedaled hastily.

"Good." The lilac demon smiled down at his new lawyer. "And what do you advise me to do?"

Courtney babbled incoherently, grinning up at him.

"Translate please."

"She wants you to sign this." Lilah, seizing her opportunity, pushed a contract towards him, breathing a sigh of relief when he scrawled a signature on the dotted line.

"Now," Lord Scheltar rose, carrying Courtney in his arms. "Where could we find sugar confectionary of some kind?"

"I'll take you to the canteen." Harmony offered generously, leading them out of the room.

Linwood regarded Lilah for a few minutes before inclining his head and giving her a small smile of approval. "Well done."

TBC.

_Author's Note: Next chapter will probably be the last, although since I'm leaving for a trip on Saturday, I don't know how long that update will take. Please keep up the reviews._


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: **Since my name is not Joss Whedon, I don't own 'Angel' or any of the characters associated with the show. The challenge (details below) belongs to me and so does Courtney.

_**The Baby Boom Challenge.**_

_Inspired by the movie of the same name. Lilah Morgan's life is going great until her cousin dies, leaving Lilah with an unwanted inheritance - her baby daughter. Now, Lilah must juggle her very demanding career at Wolfram and Hart with taking care of a mischievous baby._

_**Requirements.**_

_- The story should take place during Season Three or Four of 'Angel'.  
- The baby should be a girl, aged between ten and fifteen months, ie. old enough to crawl and make trouble, but small enough to have to be carried around and wear diapers.  
- Lilah must bring the baby to work, preferably to a very important meeting.  
- Lilah changes the baby's diaper - without actually knowing how.  
- Lilah does NOT abandon the baby on the doorstep to the Hyperion, or sacrifice her to the Senior Partners. She's stuck with the baby. Whether she becomes Mother of the Year, or turns the kid into a mini-her or something between the two extremes is up to you._

_**Bonus.**_

_- The baby calling Lilah 'mama' at some stage, and Lilah's reaction.  
- The baby biting Gavin.  
- Lilah hiring a nanny, preferably going through a string of them, either because she's not happy, or the baby is too much of a handful.  
- The baby winning over a powerful, important demon client by being adorable.  
- Lilah getting into a 'soccer mom' conversation with the mothers of other babies._

**Author's Note:**To Darklight – I liked your idea a few chapters ago of having Lilah set up her own law firm and I wanted to get her out of Los Angeles since, going by the canon timeline, after the end of this story she has less than a year to live and Courtney shouldn't be left all alone, but, since nobody leaves Wolfram and Hart (unless they have an evil hand) I had to come up with an alternative.

* * *

**Chapter 8.**

_**Three weeks later.**_

_Happy Birthday to you. _

_Happy Birthday to you._

_Happy Birthday, dear Courtney._

_Happy Birthday to you._

Despite her best efforts, Lilah couldn't keep a small smile from her face as the baby in her arms wriggled excitedly, clapping her pudgy hands at the Wolfram and Hart employees who, undoubtedly motivated by the prospect of free cake, had joined in the birthday celebrations.

Harmony, who had organized the party – and wisely refrained from telling Lilah about it until it had begun – to celebrate Courtney's successful completion of her first year of life, was in her element, as she always was at a party, regaling anyone who happened to pause near her for more than a few seconds with anecdotes about her tiny friend, whose fame, due in no small part to her charming of the famously finicky Lord Scheltar, was now legendary.

The blonde vampire, true to form, had presented the birthday girl with a neon pink stuffed unicorn.

Lilah had been relieved, and secretly more than a little proud, when Courtney had attempted to chew off the unicorn's horn before dropping it to the ground and making a grab for the glittery paper it had been wrapped in, deeming it a more entertaining plaything.

The baby girl had stared at them in astonishment, thinking that she had fallen into the hands of lunatics, as several of the adults tried to demonstrate how she should blow out her candles.

In the end, Lilah had been obliged to do the honours.

"Wow." Lilah wondered, and not for the first time, whether Gavin had taken formal classes in the art of being annoying when he was a child. "I never thought that I'd see the day when Lilah Morgan became a baby lover. What happened? Was your biological clock ticking?"

"I do not like babies." Catching sight of the rather hurt expression on Courtney's little face, Lilah softened her tone, just a little. "I just don't hate _this _baby."

"Me lub Mama Li'." Courtney declared fiercely, snuggling into Lilah's arms and giving Gavin a glare that, coning from somebody over a year old, would have been terrifying, as if daring him to challenge her.

Even Gavin Parke couldn't come up with an appropriate response to that.

Lilah sighed, regarding her now year old ward with as much affection as she thought herself capable of feeling.

She did not love Courtney.

She had loved her cousin Lynn when she was a child, but they had drifted apart and now Lynn was dead.

She had adored her father, worshipped him, believing him to be a demi-god, a hero, somebody who was always going to be there to love her and to protect her but he had left, never pausing to bid her goodbye.

She had loved her mother, and if she was honest with herself, she had to admit that she still did, but her mother was now trapped in a prison of her own mind and never recognized her when she visited.

Although she had tried not to, she couldn't keep herself from warming to little Courtney.

She didn't want to see something bad happen to the baby, so she knew that she couldn't allow herself to love her.

"Look, kid," Over the past month, Lilah had grown accustomed to conversing with a baby. "I don't know what you did to deserve this, but you're stuck with me for the next seventeen years. Your grandparents are dead, I don't know where your father is, or even who he is, and you don't have any aunts, uncles or other cousins to speak of. Your only other relative . . ." She trailed off, not wanting to discuss, or even think about her mother. "I'm afraid that I'm all you've got, and you and I both know that I'm not going to win any Mother of the Year awards. You and I are just going to have to learn to live with each other. Listen," Adopting a tone of voice she normally reserved for contractual negotiations, she shifted Courtney into a more comfortable position in her arms, regarding her seriously. "I'm going to make you a deal – I promise not to be a bitch about boyfriends and parties and curfews and all that teenage crap, if you promise to go easy on the tantrums, at least while you're with me. Agreed?"

Courtney burbled her assent.

Come on, babykins." Harmony cooed, coming up to claim Courtney from a slightly unwilling Lilah. "It's time to cut the cake, and we can't do that without our little guest of honour, now can we?"

She tickled Courtney's tummy, delighting in her giggles, and bore her over to her desk, where the cake and an assortment of other goodies were laid out.

It had take the best part of an hour for Harmony to dress Courtney for the party that was being held in her honour but, if the appreciative oohs and aahs of the small cluster of guests was any indication, it had been time well spent.

Courtney, in an adorably impractical lacy white dress with a pink ribboned sash at the waist and pink rosebuds at the hem, her soft chestnut curls secured with a white ribbon, looked deceptively angelic and like an infant princess as she accepted the homage of her adoring subjects, smiling graciously as they presented their tributes.

"An enchanting little thing." There was a faint note of sourness in Linwood's tone that spoke of his bitterness over the loss of his own children. "She really does look just like you."

Lilah didn't bother arguing. She knew that it was true. She and Lynn had been as alike as twins when they were small children and Courtney was the image of them both.

"The Senior Partners were very impressed with your handling of Lord Scheltar." Linwood said in would be casual tones.

"I'm glad."

"Lord Scheltar may be . . ." He paused, considering his choice of words and wisely decided against his first option. ". . . eccentric, but he is the hereditary head of one of the most powerful demon families in this dimension. They and their associates provide more than half of the business for one of the firm's branches. They have connections all over Europe and America."

The façade of polite interest Lilah had donned when her superior had started speaking was starting to slip.

". . .main branch in London and, as His Lordship refuses to work with anybody save yourself and little Miss Morgan, the Senior Partners feel that you would be suitable."

"For what?" She had tuned him out when he began to list Lord Scheltar's holdings.

"A promotion, Lilah. The CEO of the firm's London branch has died, surprisingly enough of natural causes, and, as you were able to manage Lord Scheltar, their foremost client, so well, the Senior Partners feel that you would be an ideal replacement." His smile was soured by envy. "Congratulations."

CEO.

Lilah had been certain that she would have to kill at least a few colleagues to rise so high.

There was of course, no question about whether or not she would accept the position.

Only a complete idiot would turn down such a golden opportunity and besides, the Senior Partners did not look kindly on those who were foolish enough to reject their favour.

As CEO she could add at least one more zero to her annual salary and the bonuses and perks were, even by her lights, sinful.

It was rather ironic that she could thank her unwanted little ward for this good fortune.

She glanced at Courtney, who was cackling manically as she cheerfully pelted Gavin with fistfuls of creamy birthday cake, and couldn't keep herself from laughing.

London had no idea what was about to hit it.

THE END.


End file.
